Breaking At The Seams
by Tribi Ponyfeathers
Summary: Prequel to Cracking At The Corners. HAWKMOTH has gotten ahold of several 'talented' children. They wish to enhance the children's 'gifts' through illegal genetic experimentation. This is the story of the Akumas. Hope you enjoy! (NOT FOR SMALL CHILDREN) LOL, Zebras! :3
1. C

He woke up in the dark, his arms tied behind his back with thick rope to a chair.

He couldn't see, but he was okay with that.

Until he heard it.

 _tick_

 _tick-tick_

 _tick_

 _tick-tick_

 _tick_

The ticking of a clock.

Slightly irregular.

Just like...

 **then**.

* * *

He's breaking

 _I can see that._

I didn't think it would be that easy.

 _You never think anything's easy._

No, I just don't trust your particular set of skills.

 _Aww, you don't have faith in me? Just as I thought._

Shut up.

* * *

 _"You're dumb. Useless."_

The chains rattled, swinging back and forth.

 _"Stupid."_

He could hear it.

 _"Retarded."_

The sound of insects crawling.

 _"You should die."_

They're echoing.

 _"Why don't you just kill yourself already?"_

The sounds are echoing.

 _"You're just a useless cutter."_

There's a sound echoing louder than anything else, though.

 _"Just die already!"_

A ticking.

 _"Kill yourself!"_

Echoing over and over.

 _"You're useless anyway."_

Slightly off.

 _"Nobody likes you."_

Just barely irregular.

 _"Nobody wants you here."_

Every other tick just slightly too close to the one before it.

 _"Just die!"_

Just like then.

 _"Die!"_

Like before.

 _"Kill yourself!"_

Like that time.

 _"I thought you were supposed to be dead!"_

When his world was torn to shreds.

 _"Why don't you join your sister in hell?!"_

* * *

A screech.

I heard it before anyone else.

I saw the semi.

Saw it skid.

Saw it come towards our tiny car.

Saw it crush my twin.

My other half.

My Angel.

My beautiful sister.

Crushed.

There was blood all over me.

None of it was mine.

My sister was dead.

That's what they told me, to the ticking of a slightly irregular clock.

 _Angelina is gone._


	2. R

"No."

Not again

"No."

I'm not.

"No."

 _You are._

"No."

I refuse!

"No."

 _You can't._

"No."

Yes I can!

"No."

 _You will let me take over._

"No."

NEVER!

"No."

I WILL NOT!

"No."

 _Yes you will._

"No."

 _It'll be easy!_

"No."

 _Just._

"No.."

 _1_

"No.."

 _2_

"No..."

 _3_

"no..."

 _Goodnight._

* * *

A rumbling, inhuman growl shook the thick chains.

It was louder than everything.

Everything but the ticking.

The form shrunk in on itself, curling around the chains wrapped around it's torso.

Then it glowed.

A bright, brilliant white, illuminating the bloodstained concrete walls and the massive pit of bugs at the bottom of the thirty foot drop.

Then it was gone, and a hummingbird was in it's place, darting up high to where the chain was hung from.

Then it glowed again, and the form turned humanoid, with large feline claws, pitch black fox ears on it's humanoid head, which held cat eyes, warped and twisted, and the end of it's nose was that of a wolf's.

It clung to the chain, surveying the walls and floor. There was only one exit, impossible to get to for any normal human.

The creature growled once more, and flung itself at the wall closest to it.

It's claws dug into the concrete, jagged marks engorging themselves into a massive bloodstain.

And the beast began to climb.

And climb.

And climb.

It scaled the walls, changing form every once in a while to a birdlike form, which was harder to maintain.

It finally reached the top, shuddering.

A security team was there, to subdue it.

They were all slaughtered, their insides pilfered.

The creature continued on, killing all who stood in it's path.

Except for one.

One special person.

How special? you ask.

 _This_ special:

* * *

"Hey, now. Kid, either you calm down or I kill you. I don't want to kill you. Please calm down."

He lunged.

She dodged.

She swung her baton.

He dodged.

He slashed at her torso.

She caught his arm.

She squeezed.

He yelled in agony before shaking her off.

"So you _can_ feel pain. Great!"

She darted close to him, giving him a quick one-two to his stomach.

He gasped.

He began to glow.

She rushed back, hands up.

The glow faded.

He was human again.

His eyes were blue.

Before the effects of the tranquilizer did their thing, Sa'id could have sworn he saw her cry.

* * *

He was human.

Real.

His eyes were blue.

What have I done?!


	3. A

I woke up in a chamber.

Glass.

Extremely thick.

I can't break it.

It's square.

A large drain in the center.

Holes in the top.

A torture chamber.

If I had to guess.

I tried to shift.

All I got was a splitting headache and Shou.

Talking.

Shou is my inner beast.

Shou means beast in Chinese.

* * *

 _how long are we gonna be in here?_

I'm not sure, Shou. Right now it's better if we stay calm.

 _but what if I freak out like last time Sa'id I don't wanna hurt anyone anymore_

We can't hurt anyone here, Shou. That's good. And you don't have to feel sorry for last night, okay? You were just trying to protect me.

 _okay you're right we can't hurt anyone while we're inside the glass_

You were just protecting me. That's it. No need to feel bad for protecting me.

 _no need to feel bad just protecting you that's okay._

Yeah. Just calm down. We're okay. Both of us.

* * *

"Why are you mumbling?" a voice asked, breaking the silence.

"No reason." I replied, opening one eye.

The figure stepped out of the shadows to reveal a girl of about ten, with pinkish hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a white jumpsuit, and her hair was tangled and messy.

"Names Alix." she said slowly.

"Sam." I replied after a second.

 _why'd you lie_

"Short for Sa'id." I amended.

"So, have they experimented on you yet?" she inquired.

 _don't respond_

"Maybe. What do you mean by experimented?" I shot back.

"Anything. Have you been anywhere but here since they took you?"

 _don't tell her_

"Yes."

"Then they've experimented."

 _how is she here_

"How'd you get in here?"

"My powers. They're fun. I can warp time. I was here before. Been in every room of this place. So I rewound until I came to here. Not hard."

"So you're a time traveler."

"Not exactly. It's hard to explain, but I can see a version of many different... possibilities, I guess you could say?"

 _she can see futures she's highly suspicious be careful_

"Why're you sharing this with me?"

"Because I'm bored and the others-" she paused, listening.

 _she stopped why'd she stop_

"Why'd you stop?"

"I can hear _her_."

 _who_

"Her?"

"You a fucking parrot?" she whispered.

 _language_

"No. You aren't explaining."

"T. She's the enforcer. Now be quiet, and pretend you've never met me."

 _this is highly suspicious don't agree to it_

"K"

 _darn you._

* * *

"Hello." a voice called.

 _t_

"It's polite to greet others, young man." the voice reprimanded.

'go to hell...' I whisper halfheartedly.

 _why so quiet you need to seem ferocious cuss more at her she probably didn't hear you_

"What was that? I didn't quite catch that." Her voice held contempt.

"Fuck you!" I yell.

 _nice_

"That's not nice, _boy._ " she called, pressing down the red button on the remote in her hand.

A second later, electricity coursed through me. My scream echoed loudly.

 _okay stop cussing_

"I wanted to do this the easy way, boy. But you keep on acting like a wild animal. Seems I'll have to train you like one."

"Fuck off." I said quietly.

 _stop_

"Speak clearly, boy." She was gloating now.

"I said, fuck off!" I howled.

 _seriously stop_

She pressed down again.

The electricity lit up the crimson walls.

"Be polite when you speak boy. No cussing." Her voice was even as a teacher's.

"To hell with you." I exhaled.

 _that counts_

She slammed the button forcefully.

"Hell counts too, boy." There was an edge of irritation.

"My name's Sa'id" I called.

"You don't have a name." She chimed as she left.


	4. S

"Wake up, Zero! It's time!" yelled T from the catwalk above his cage.

"My name's not Zero, dumbass. It's Sa'id." He muttered back dispassionately.

The floor let out an electric discharge, shocking Sa'id into submission.

"Get up, and hold your hands out in front of you. If you try to resist, I'm electrocuting you again." called T.

Two guards came into his cage warily.

Seeing that he wasn't moving, the two became more confident, approaching Sa'id carelessly.

He swept their feet from underneath them, knocking them both to the floor.

T moved to press the button to activate the electricity, but stopped.

Sa'id had made no move to leave the cage, simply stood where he was with his arms out.

"Why did you knock them down?" T asked, curious.

"They were idiots." was his only defense.

"I see." she replied. "Oy! You lot! Get up, you mangy mutts, and quit acting so cocky!"

The two men jumped up, slightly angry, and cuffed Sa'id's hands.

"Bring him out of there!" she yelled.

He went willingly out of the cage, but stopped at the doorway to the outside.

"You can't shift. Those cuffs are inhibitors too." T teased.

Sa'id continued onward, stepping into the dim light of a sparsely lit gray corridor.

They walked in silence for awhile, before T asked Sa'id, "Have you ever heard of cyclohexane?"

Sa'id shook his head, not willing to speak.

"It's a remarkable substance. When used in a specific way, it can become an embodiment of the triple-point, or becoming all three states of matter at once. Solid, liquid, and gas, all at once! Truly remarkable." Her tone gave off an air of reverence as she spoke.

They stopped in front of a large steel door, rusty in some places but otherwise completely fine. The door was about three feet wide and approximately six feet tall.

The guard to the left of Sa'id opened the door, revealing a small space, about 3ft by 3ft.

The other guard pushed Sa'id towards it, and laughed when he nearly fell.

His shoulder was caught by T.

She dug her nails into his shoulder, eliciting a whimper to escape from his mouth.

Holding him in place, she grabbed something from the bag she had slung over her shoulder, revealing a circular metallic device.

She pressed a button on the side of it, and it split in half, a hole appearing in the center at the same time.

The hole left about an inch of the actual device around it.

Shoving him back into the two guards, who each held an arm so he couldn't run.

She sauntered over to him, and attached the device; a collar, Sa'id realized; around his neck.

The space between the collar and his neck closed, ensuring that he couldn't get it off.

Simultaneously, the guards let go of him, releasing his shackles as well.

T grabbed his ratty white t-shirt, and threw him into the chamber. Before he could try to get out, she closed and locked the heavy door.

Hidden audio speakers crackled to life, screeching violently for about a second before quieting out.

"Experiment Designation Zero, Test One, begin." a voice called through the speakers. "Designation Zero, please stand in the center of the room, on the lit indicators."

Two footprints lit up in the center of the tiny space.

Sa'id made no move to stand in the center, continuing to lean against the door.

"Now, Designation Zero." the voice intoned, sounding miffed.

Sa'id still did not comply.

"The hard way it is then. It's your fault I had to resort to this, Designation Zero." The wall he was leaning against suddenly glowed white hot, giving him several pinprick burns on his back and neck.

He yelped, jumping away from the wall.

"Stand on the indicated pads, Designation Zero." the voice mocked.

He complied, staring away at nothing.

"Stand at attention, Designation Zero." the voice intoned. "Arms at your sides, facing straight ahead, straight posture."

He complied.

"Let the test begin."

The ceiling suddenly opened tiny vents- how had Sa'id not noticed those?!- and poured out a clear liquid, like water, but slightly thicker.

It barely touched Sa'id himself, but the substance went up to his ankles.

"Activating triple point protocol," whispered the voice.

Suddenly, the dark room Sa'id stood in lit up a brilliant white.

"And, go!"

The substance started bubbling around Sa'id's ankles, creating a dull pain. It suddenly froze, encasing his slightly burned feet in freezing ice. The ice cracked, sending painful slivers into his feet, before melting once again into a liquid. The liquid became a burning foam, amd then froze once more.

"Designation Zero, I will be asking you some simple questions. Your only job is to stay at attention until we're done. All the questions are yes/ no questions, and you will not be required to speak. Any use of your vocal cords will be considered disobedience, and therefore punishable. Any movement will be considered disobedience, and therefore punishable. Do you understand, Designation Zero?"

Sa'id nodded, holding down a scream of pain.

"Good. Let us begin."

Sa'id bit his lip.

Suddenly, he could hear a very persistent sound permiating the hisses and cracks of the triple point protocol.

A very faint ticking.

Slightly uneven.

Every other tick off by a quarter of a second.

"Designation Zero, are you twelve years old?"

He shook his head.

"Are you older than twelve?"

Another shake.

"Younger?"

Nod

"Eleven?"

shake

"Ten?"

shake

 _it hurts it hurts it hurts_

"Nine?"

shake

"Eight?"

nod

"Are your birth parents alive?"

shake

"Did you kill them?"

He hesitated for a couple seconds, then shook his head no.

"Was it an accident?"

Another nod

"This question requires you to move your hand. Don't worry, you won't be punished for doing what I ask you to."

Sa'id nodded, gritting his teeth against the pain in his feet.

"How many years have your parents been dead?"

Sa'id thought for a moment, then held up his pointer finger on his left hand.

"Please nod to confirm, one year?"

nod

"And one last question that also requires your hands, how old was your sister when she died?"

He held up seven fingers.

"She was seven?"

nod

"Thank you for your cooperation, Designation Zero. You will be removed fron the chamber in three hours. You are not allowed to scream or move. If you break the rules, you will be punished. Have a good day, Designation Zero."


End file.
